


Unusual Homecoming

by Opalgirl



Category: Tortall - Pierce
Genre: Angst, Family, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-11
Updated: 2010-04-11
Packaged: 2017-10-08 21:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Opalgirl/pseuds/Opalgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rage settles low in Thayet's stomach, a  cold, spreading feeling. She quickly looks about the room once again –  other than torn clothing and the cut across the nurse's cheek, everyone looks to be in once piece.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unusual Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Thayet. &lt;3.

Thayet is used to being bombarded by delighted children as soon as she enters the palace, but this day looks to be different. Instead of being greeted by them, she finds a rather odd group clustered in Jon's study.

One of the nursery helpers sits on the floor, holding a crying Vania in her arms. As the woman turns her head, Thayet notices a freshly-healed cut along her cheekbone. Another nursemaid is overrun, with Jasson in her lap and Liam clinging onto his brother and her skirts.

Cythera, looking pale and drawn, sits between Roald and Kalasin on the sofa, one of her own little ones in her lap. Kally's head rests on Cythera's shoulder, her face turned away from the room. Roald watches the room, his face somber and Thayet no longer sees a child of twelve when she looks at her son.

Jon holds a sleeping and tousled Lianne in his arms, as he sits at the desk, staring at the pile of documents in front of him. 

"Goddess bless, what's this?" she asks quietly, as she shuts the door behind her. 

Cythera and the two nurses try to rise, but the children keep them in their places and Thayet shakes her head. "It's all right – don't disturb them." She turns to her husband. "Jon? What's happened?"

The King's face tightens in anger. "You wouldn't have seen the damage as you rode in. Hurroks and centaurs attacked the nursery."

Rage settles low in Thayet's stomach, a cold, spreading feeling. She quickly looks about the room once again – other than torn clothing and the cut across the nurse's cheek, everyone looks to be in once piece. "Undoubtedly on orders of some sort," she remarks, biting the inside of her cheek. "Or they would not dare to venture so close."

Jon sighs and strokes Lianne's cheek gently. "Lord Cavall lies in the infirmary – the hurroks maimed him, as he fought them off. Baird cannot yet tell whether or not the lord will lose his right arm." He looks, suddenly, very old.

Thayet stares at him. "Lord Cavall? Wyldon?"

"The very same."  
__

_Why would he nearly sacrifice himself to save my children?_ she begins to say – the man has made his dislike of her known – but stops herself. He has children of his own – she recalls seeing him at Court the previous winter, prior to the fall of the barrier, with his wife and daughters.

"The lord often uses the practice courts below this wing," says Cythera as she kisses the top of Kally's head. "He was out there when they struck."  
__

_And thank the gods for that._ Thayet misses the usual pattern of homecomings in her household, but the change could have been much worse.


End file.
